Can you handle it?
by Hikari loves Kurama
Summary: Could you handle staring Hiei right in the face while his scowling at you, and not blanche in terror? Uh-huh, sure you can. You think you can do this? Fine! Click and read, it ddon't matter if you're a boy or a girl!
1. Chapter one

The lights in your room dim, then flicker. At last, they shut off all at once. Weird, you think, I thought Mom just changed the light bulb yesterday. You shrug and turn back to your computer, eager to get back to reading fanfiction. What was it you were reading? Ah, yes, some story about being a part of the Reiki Tai with the YuYu Hakusho characters. It had caught your eye, especially the Title. You settle yourself a bit more comfortably on your chair and lean closer to the computer…  
  
  
  
"What the-?" You stare around you, fighting the urge to scream. This is not your room. Unless you live on the edge of a forest. The trees seem to have a life of their own, and not a nice one at that. The gnarled branches scrape at the air, as though trying to snatch down the puffy, white clouds that drift lazily acrossed the sea of blue. The forest also seems to have life, you can almost sense a demonic aura at its tree line. Suppressing the urge to shudder, you turn from the woods, your gaze coming to rest on an ancient, dilapidated temple of some sort. The wind picks up, blowing your hair in your eyes, and you lift a hand to brush it away. The temple seems oddly familiar to you; it has a Japanese style to it, a slanting roof with curled edges. The sliding door on the side is open, faint sounds of laphter echoing within the temple. You cock your head to the side, unsure if it's a good idea or not to enter. Slowly, you lift your sneaker-clad foot, taking a step towards the laphter, silently praying that this is not one of your less intelligent decisions.   
  
You speed your pace to a jog, so as not to change your mind halfway there. Your eyes never leave that door, so you are unaware of a presence behind you. The next thing you're aware of is the mingled taste of blood and dirt in your mouth, and a pulsing agony on the back of your neck. Grass is in your eyes, keeping you from seeing who it was who hit you. Whoever it is, you plan to knock their teeth out, even if it's some old lady. No one pushes you and gets away with it! You dig your palm into the dirt, flexing your biceps in effort of sitting up. As you pull yourself to your knees, your other hand brushes off your favorite Tshirt, the one you just got for Christmas a month or so ago. The twit who shoved you is gonna pay big time for this! You scrape mud that was caked on your jeans, also new, off with your fingernails. As you turn to see who it is that's going to die, you hear a voice, an oddly familiar one at that.  
  
"Hiei, you bloody barbarian! What is it that you're trying to pull? Attacking some dumb kid?" It's a woman's voice, that of an elderly person. She sounds angry, and that's putting it lightly. "Didn't it even cross your mind that this may be the one Koenma wants? How on earth would you explain the fact that you killed him/her before he got to interview him/her?!"   
  
"Get off my case, old hag." A second voice snarls. His tone is cold and nonchalant, as though attacking you was nothing at all.   
  
At being called a kid, you bristle. Finally, you get the gumption to face the two speakers, despite the feeling welling up in your chest: this is way to familiar. Behind you two people stand, and when your blurred vision focuses properly, you let out a scream. You know these two, but not in real life. Both are short in stature. The old woman had bedraggled hair with a pinkish tint to it hanging to her shoulders, strands hanging over her wrinkled face. Her attire was not as it was when you last "saw" her, not at all. Her light pink Kimono had Japanese symbols stitched into the fabric, none of which you were familiar with. Hey, you had enough trouble with English, you needn't bother yourself with a second language! Her elderly face was pulled into the fiercest sort of scowl, rage deepening the lines in her face. Master Genkai.  
  
The second figure had now folded his arms acrossed his muscular chest, and seemed to prepare for the lecture of his life. His robe was of the darkest black you could have ever fathomed, and the ruff around his neck was the purest white. His long, black spikes of hair that defies gravity, no gel/hairspray could do for your hair what his hair does. At another slight blow of wind, the length of his bandana that hung behind his head blew up, wrapping around his neck ever-so slightly. His red eyes glinted with a malicious light, as though he planned to utterly destroy the old woman who ranted at him. Hiei Jaganshi.  
  
"You could have killed him, you moron! Do you realize the cost of killing a human?! Or hasn't that short term in Demon Jail affected you at all?! Do you understand that Koenma would have sentenced you to life, you stupid dimwit?!" Roared Genkai. She made your Mom's screaming sound like the gentle purr of a newborn kitten. "I should never have had you keep the first watch! Foolishness! Have you no sensitivity or care towards your own future?! Even the dimwit inside knows there is a consequence to every action we do, whether good or not, is up to the action."  
  
"Hn," Hiei crooned under his breath. His head tilted to the side at the slightest fraction, so as to get a clear look at you. His eyes still held that murderous tone, and just the thought of what may be going through that demon's mind causes shivers to dance along your spine. It occurs to you that your mouth has been hanging open for a good deal of time, and you snap it shut. "The kid doesn't have an ounce of power in his/her whole body. Why would Koenma need such a pathetic nigen?" He asked Genkai in a tight tone of voice, his eyes never leaving your face. He's avoiding direct eye contact, but gazes at you as though expecting you to say something. So, you comply.  
  
"Ireallylikeyourshow." Your words stumble over one another as if you were drunk. Where the heck did that come from? Clearing your throat, you continue, "What I mean to say is, um, you rule." Hiei's face does not alter in expression. You can feel your cheeks heat up as they flush scarlet. You rule? Why on earth would you say something so stupid?   
  
The fire demon turns from you abruptly, facing Genkai he says, loud enough to arose your anger once more, "This kid's an idiot! The toddler's flipped his lid if he thinks he/she will be of any help."  
  
Genkai shoots him a disapproving look, and she's clearly getting angrier with his antics. Folding her arms behind her back, she turns stiffly in your direction. "Hey dimwit, you going to sit there all day, or are you going to get off your butt and get over here so we can explain, as best we can with the minimal details Prince Koenma gave us, why you're here?" She seems a bit more irritated by she mentions Koenma. If she can get more irritated then she already is, that is to say.  
  
"S-Sorry." You stumble to your feet with some difficulty, owing to the fact that, without you noticing, your left leg fell asleep. Once you steady yourself, wincing slightly at the dull, static pulsing in you leg, you stagger over to her, extending a hand so as to be polite. Genkai ignores it, however, and immediately divulges her story. You notice Hiei has a rather smirk-like look on his pale face as she speaks.  
  
"Prince Koenma, of spirit world, informed us yesterday that we'd be receiving a visitor named _____, this is your name, I presume?" With a gulp, you nod your head like the nervous, jittery twit you are. "He told us little, but from what I perceived, he seems to think you are of demonic heritage, and may hold the key to a stronger form of a Kakai Barrier, or the wall that separates the demon, spirit, and living worlds. He wants to put you through a few tests to see if you hold the same sort of power as your ancestors."  
  
Okay, now this has just gone from freaky to, well, more freaky. You, part demon? Ha! You're barely breaking a C in gym class, let alone have enough power to make a stronger barrier between worlds. This is like one of those fanfiction stories where you get added to the team. Whoa, hold up! You were just reading one of those, weren't you? So that's it, you just fell asleep at the computer while reading one, and so now you're just having one of those weird dreams you have. Heaving a sigh of relief, (wow, you had been holding your breath the whole time that woman spoke!) you lift a hand to your face to wipe away the sweat beading your forehead. You fingertips stray to your lip, and a sharp pain shoots through your nerves. You pull the hand from your face, and study it with pure disbelief. Slowly, your fingers close over your palm, hiding your scrapped hand. How could you have scratched your hand and split your lip open if this was a dream? You've felt "pain" in dreams before, but not like this. As you look up, you discover Hiei is watching you with an intent eye, his arms folded across his chest, a light scowl on his face. "Are you for real?" You ask at long last, unable to think of anything else to say.   
  
"As real as the blood coursing through your veins, whether it be demon, or nigen." To your surprise, it was Hiei who spoke. He still won't meet your eye. "Though I'd put my yen on human."  
  
Maybe you are demon. Who knows? You sure don't. After all, ten minutes ago, you thought YuYu Hakusho was just a television show, but look at who you're talking to? "When is it that I have to meet Koenma?" You're voice trembles with he fear rising up in your chest. Maybe you've finally cracked. You knew it would happen eventually. Just look at you- "talking" to Hiei Jaganshi and Master Genkai from your favorite Anime!   
  
"Tomorrow at noon, in his highness's grand palace," Hiei answers, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Don't worry, you'll know soon enough if this is real, or if you're just insane." He adds, his mouth upturned in an evil smile. You feel as though some one is running an ice cube up and down you spine. His smirk deepens at your obvious discomfort.   
  
"Hiei, you need to learn that your smiles frighten people." Genkai snaps, giving Hiei's leg a sharp whack with the back of her hand. You wonder why he doesn't react, or kill her. "I sopose you're a bit hungry, _____. I'm sure Yukina will have something left over from dinner. Yuskue couldn't possibly eat everything she cooked; and Kurama is as light as a sparrow. She cooks enough for a small army. She's a good girl." At the sound of the ice apparition's name, you desperately try to act normal, and slightly perplexed. Hiei does not need to know you are aware that they are siblings.   
  
"My sister will be pleased to feed you. She takes joy in helping rejects and fools." Apparently your acting skills were not needed. Good thing, because you're acting is horrid. You glance at the demon before you, unsure as to whether it's a good idea to look or not. Hiei looks well enough, though he's back to scowling now. "Yes," He snarls with impatience, causing you to jump back in both fear and surprise. "Every one knows she's my sister now. Everyone, that is, but her. I swear right now, I don't care what the brat says, I'll kill you if you speak a word of it to her."  
  
Now trembling in terror at the ferocity and seriousness to his words, you nod your head obediently, "…Yes sir." You can't help but add that rather snide comment, despite your better judgment. Your mouth has always gotten you into trouble, no matter how you tried to hold your tongue, not matter how often you get detention for insulting the teacher's incompetence. You think you're just so witty. Until now, that is to say. Now, you think you're a very, very stupid person. If looks could kill, Hiei would have murdered you a thousand times over, then shattered your very soul. Horror consumes your thoughts, and without your consent, your feet take several steps backward. You know you're eyes have to be the size of saucers, or at least the size of the little teacup.   
  
"I'd watch how I spoke to Hiei, _____, if I were you. He has a very short temper, and an even smaller amount of sanity." Genkai warns, stifling a yawn with her weathered hands. She snagged the hem of Hiei's garments, stopping him short from decapitating you. After giving her the most sappy, heartfelt look of thanks you have ever given someone, you turn tail and bolt the rest of the way into the door. You need to work on your self control. One of these days, you're going to end up dead in an alley someplace; all because you told some dude from the Mafia he had a hideous mole on his face, and that ugly people shouldn't be allowed to smile so much. Hm, it seems you also need to learn to control you're imagination.   
  
A/N: I hope you like it so far. Please review! Seriously! If you don't bother reviewing, I'll let Genkai release Hiei and have him chop your head off! If you do review, then you can rest assure, you are safe from Hiei----for now. Mwahahahaha! Ehem… Well, um… Yes, lets see, what else? Ah, I remember now! In the next few chapters, I'll be using the words: baka- stupid/idiot, henjin- freak. 


	2. Chapter two

As you reach the doorway, the ringing of laughter meets your ears again. Now that you're only a few yards away, you can distinguish different voices and tones. There's about three people, you perceive. You hand lifts up to the doorframe, and, while firmly grasping it, you step into the room. At first, you can see nothing, for the contrast between the outside and here are wide. As your eyes become accustom to the lesser light, you remember one of the Japanese etiquette rules: take your shoes off before entering a home. Slowly, you kick off you shoes and set them beside the door as you've seen on various Anime episodes. Now, taking a deep breath and holding it deep within your chest, you turn to face the inhabitants of the room, whose laughter has stopped. Just as you thought.  
  
The three who had been pleasantly chatting and giggling sit around a table that sits low to the ground, poufs setting haphazardly around it. The smell of food meets your nostrils, and you feel a wave of hunger consume you. A young woman sitting at the table is smiling at you, and her smile in a nice one. Her thick, light blue hair is pulled back in a red bow, falling to down her back. Her powder blue kimono has a red sash tied securely around her slim waist, pulled into a large bow at her back. "Oh, you must be _____!" She beckons warmly at you, inviting you to join them at the table. Yukina.   
  
"Hey, what happened to your lip, kid?" The youth that sits beside her asks, though you get the idea he knows exactly what happened, owing to the fact he's desperately trying not to laugh. "Y-You look like you face-planted in the dirt." His black hair in slicked back, and his face is scarlet with the effort to keep from laughing. He had a green uniform on, and you know it's not a school uniform. Nope, this kid wears it for the sake of being rebellious. Yuskue Urameshi.  
  
"I think we have some peroxide. It would be a good idea if we patched that up, I doubt you relish the thought of getting an infection." His long, crimson hair has slight curls here and there, especially at the nape of his neck. His smile makes you instantly at home, his brilliant emerald eyes sparkling. His uniform clashed terribly with his hair; a light pink of sorts. Not that he noticed or cared, he wasn't in to that sort of thing. Kurama.   
  
"Um, hey. I don't think we need to bother with, uh, peroxide." You hastily bow, as you see on television. When you lift your face, you see Yuskue snickering into his napkin. Starting to get irritated, you cross the room to the table, you sock-clad feet making no sound on the wooden floor boards. Kurama pats the cushion beside him, and with a friendly smile, you accept his offer. "So, um… I'm part demon?" You ask as you settle yourself on the impossibly-fluffy pillow.   
  
"As far as Koenma told us, yes, ____." Yukina says with a sociable air and a wave of her hand. She pushes a plate laden down with various foods at you, urging you to eat. "But not a whole lot, mind you. Ten percent at most."   
  
As you begin stuffing your face, Genkai and Hiei (looking quite peeved) take their seats at the table. "I wonder what sort of demon he/she is, Hiei." Kurama says to the short demon beside him, his tone smooth. "She/he's got a bit of a fiery aura, wouldn't you say?"  
  
"Hn. Don't you go pushing him to my species, Kurama. I doubt this kid is demon, let alone a fire one. ____'s fiery aura is simply defiance in his/her spirit." Hiei answers tartly.   
  
"I'd place my bet on an elemental demon," Yukina's gaze comes to rest on your face, a slight glow to her big, pretty blue eyes. "An elemental demon is one of fire, ice, water, or some type like that. They usually look a great deal like humans. Creature demons may also have a humanoid appearance, but with, well, fox ears for example." Yukina sends a smile in Kurama's direction. "Beast demons look nothing like humans, they're like monsters…" She goes on to give grotesque details of beast demons she had seen in demon world.  
  
Your eyes wander from her, and find yourself staring at Hiei. His arms are still folded acrossed his chest, and he's still in a rather bad mood. Kurama's head is tilted ever-so slightly to the side, his long red hair falling down his shoulder. He's speaking to Hiei from the corner of his mouth. Hiei snorts in response, a flash of amusement crossing his face. In the next instant, it's gone, replaced by a frown. You always thought Hiei was cool. So silent and withdrawn. You couldn't possibly go that long without talking, nor could you go without friends. So, in a way, you envy him. Life would be so much quieter without friends to fight with, causing constant hassle in your already complicated life. And you'd have an even quieter life if you talked just half as much as you do. You'd also be able to avoid the bullies at school, and the beating you get every single day. With Hiei's speed and precision, you'd slit their throats before the cold even spot you! Not that you'd actually do it. As much as you hate them, you'd never kill them. You have a deep respect for all living things, though the thought of them begging for mercy at the sight of your katana and jagon eye… Without realizing it, you snigger aloud. This gets you looks of concern, as though they all think you're cracked. Smiling nervously, you focus on your food. You need to learn to control your random outbursts.   
  
"Time for bed!" Kurama cries suddenly, startling you, for you were in the middle of lecturing yourself. With a jerk, you fall off your pillow, and you can literally hear the sickening crack of your head on the floor. Stars erupt in your line of vision, and pain splits your thoughts into confusing lines of words and pictures.   
  
"Oh my! ___, ___, are you okay?! Answer me, ___!" Yukina cries, her voice drowned out by the pain. You're brain is fogging up, your world is going black. You can hear other muffled voices, all spinning together into a blurred sound. This isn't the first time you've done this, as you recall. Once, at a friend's house, you fell off her/his bed and hit your head hard on her/his floor. You blacked out for a full minute before awakening you his/her screams. You suddenly feel safe and warm, and you are vaguely aware of strong arms lifting you from the floor. After a few moments of movement, you feel the soft, downy sensation on your neck, your body relaxes to the contour of a bed, your head sinking into the feather pillow. A blanket is pulled over you, and you let yourself slip into unconsciousness.   
  
******  
  
If you like it, you better review! Please, please, please, please! Also, tell me if you're anything like the character. It'd be nice to know. I have to go write some more for Not a Girl, so this is it for now! By the way, you're a total idiot! Falling over just 'cause Kurama said 'bedtime'? What, are you afraid of the dark or something?! Hahaha. Ha. Um, yeah. Please review!!!! 


	3. Chapter three

You awake to the gentle song of birds, their pleasant chirping sharp in your mind. It pierces through your brain, pain shooting through your nerves. You'd kill for an aspirin. The comfort of the bed comes back to you, the light, fluffy pillow so soft on your pounding head, the bed so kind towards your aching back. Without being fully aware of it, you smile and sigh. Just don't think about the pain, you tell yourself, the nice bed is so much more enjoyable to think about… Your lips are gently forced open, a chalky capsule is placed on the top of your tongue. You gulp it down, a slight clench in your throat making it difficult. You feel the cold glass of a cup put to your lips, and the refreshing cascade of water that accompanies it. Heaven!  
  
"You took quite a fall, ____. I'm sorry I startled you so terribly." Kurama's strong, calming voice said somewhere above you, his tone hushed so as not to further hurt your pulsing head. "Yukina saved some breakfast for you, so whenever you're ready to get up… But you can stay in bed as long as you like. I assume you'll accept the latter. Anyway, Botan was here this morning and I told her to let Koenma know you're in no condition to talk with him today, so-"  
  
You interrupt him, your words accompanied with quiet little moans, "No… I-I think I can see him… Yeah, I'm fine, no need to put this thing off… Can I still see 'im today? I really wanna know what the heck is going on."  
  
Kurama's answer is slightly flustered. You can't see him, by fault of your blurred vision, but you know he must look shocked. "Well, if you insist, _____. But this won't be the easiest to digest. The things he will tell you about yourself are not going to be what you want to hear…" Not sure what he means, you don't answer. Theres a long period of silence, then the sound f creaking floor boards as he sweeps from the room. "I'll see if I can get a hold of him…" You weren't aware that the room had smelled of roses until the sent left the room.  
  
Kurama is a lot different then you would have figured. He seems a great deal more friendly, so unlike the little demon that attacked you. And what was Hiei's deal, anyway? Why the heck did he attack you? It's not like you looked like a demon! He said it himself, he didn't sense anything demonic about you. Whats his deal… Frustrated, you force your eyes to focus on the doorway, as though you expect the shorty to be watching you, plotting your death. No, although your vision still isn't the best, you can tell no one is there. The birds continue to sing, and the sun's soft rays of light steam through the window onto your blanket. Yukina's voice can be heard somewhere down the hall, her tone unusually worried. "No, Kurama, we can't just let ____ talk to Prince Koenma like this! It'll be to much for him/her! Besides, Koenma said he has other things he has to do, so ___ can't see him until next month."  
  
"Next month?!" Kurama answered in aghast, his voice raised.   
  
"Shh! Yes, I know it seems odd, but that's what he said. ____ is to stay here until called for. Master Genkai says she's going to put him/her through a few tests of her own while we wait. Hiei-kun doesn't seem to happy, you know. I think those two aren't compatible. Their personalities are to different."  
  
"Or, to similar."   
  
"Kura-chan! What do you mean? That nice little human is nothing like Hiei-kun. Hiei is far to… Well, you know."  
  
Kurama dropped his voice, to quiet for you to hear. What did Kurama mean by that? Similar? You, and Hiei? Not even in an alternate universe where mutant goldfish rule the earth by placing control formula in the food, and you're the leader of a small pocket of resistance called "down with the fishes" club, and it's up to you to destroy the factory where they make the formula, and you have no friends and no mouth. Oh, and the only thing you ever say is "Hn," and, "fool". Wait, how can you say that if you have no mouth? And what are you talking about? Jeez, you're an odd kid. Mutant what? Okay, and you think you're the picture of mental health? The goldfish are more sane than you, buddy.  
  
"What did Agent Ray have to say about all this?" Yukina says at last, her tone forcibly conversational. "About ____, I mean."   
  
"Hikari says you find real power in the least likely of all places. I sopose that means she thinks that this kid is the one we want. Or, Koenma wants. Shikiba and Mokemono have basically the same opinion." Kurama heaved a sigh, his tone fringed with exhaustion.  
  
  
  
Yukina, noticing this immediately, told him to go to bed. "When's the last time you took a cat nap, Kura-chan? You need to think about yourself a bit more, you know." Kurama's response to her motherly concern was a yawn and a soft chuckle. "Go on now, off to bed with you!"  
  
********  
  
I bet you're like "Who the heck is Hikari and them other two?!" You'll find out, no worries there! PPPLLLEEEAAASSSEEE RRREEEVVVEEEIIIWWW!!!!!!!  
  
The day had dawned long before you had awoken, and the afternoon faded long before you arose. The dying sun cast long shadows across the lawn, giving you an eerie feeling. You walked alone around the outside of the Temple, a slight stiffness to your movement. You're careful to look out for Hiei, lest he find it amusing to give you another bloody lip. You can feel the liquid bandage on your skin, so you must have been treated while you were out. The wind has stopped, the stillness adding to your odd feeling. Creepy, yet you don't really know why.   
  
You took this walk to think. But instead of buzzing with a hundred thoughts a second, your mind is dead. You cannot possibly fathom the idea that this is real, but how can you deny it? Rather than stick to the yard as you were instructed, you find yourself wandering in the general direction of the woods. These woods, you know, is the one in which Yuskue and the rest of Genkai's would-be pupils raced to the tallest tree. Without knowing it yourself, you start to run at the tree line, your heart pumping with the effort of going so fast. The wind caused by your sudden run blows your hair into your eyes, not that you notice. If Yuskue made it to that tree, than so can you. If you're really part demon, it should be a cinch, right?  
  
So you power towards the ancient forest, your mind having been firmly made up. You've always had a thirst to prove yourself, though you never really noticed. You pretend you don't care, that you don't give a spit about grades or any of that stuff. But in truth, you don't try your hardest simply because you're afraid of failing. But no one is around to see you mess up. Almost at once, your skin pops up with goose bumps as the trees block the sun. You feet are no longer padding on grass, but crunching on leaves. The world has gone dark. The day had been darkening already, but as soon as your feet passed the tree line, it became night. Slowing your pace to a walk, you take a good look around. The trees tower over you, the leaves and branches tangled with vines. The underbrush is thick and filled with thorns and briars, hindering you. Frightening sounds of creatures you cannot see echo in the darkness. Creepy.   
  
Your bad vibe is getting even more intense. Your neck breaks out in cold sweat and your heart races. You feel shivers play on your spine. "Heck no." You mutter, and turn on your heel, planning to leave. But the place where you entered is not there. You had assumed you would turn to see a break in the trees; some of what was left of the sun's light shinning in. But all you see is darkened woods and thick threes. The creatures' screeches are getting louder. And your bad vibe- now it's like an overpowering sense of doom. No one knows you left the safety of the temple's side. No one knows you're stupid enough to wander into a demon forest. No one knows you're trapped.  
  
Tears fill your eyes. You've never had so many emotions run through you in such a quick succession. You feel as though you're a spinning tornado that consists of fear, pain, frustration, uncertainty, terror, confusion, and sadness. Where are you? Why are you here? Will your Mom ever find out what happened to her precious child? Will Hiei find whats left of your body and laugh, knowing you were never a demon? You put your hands over your ears, blocking out the hungry snarls of demons. Falling to your knees, you will it to end. Your terror is overwhelming! They'll rip you apart, all those sounds. They'll lurk in the shadows, horrifying you, then pounce and tear you apart. Coward! You're a coward! Giving up so soon! Fight, you have to fight! Why give yourself so willingly?  
  
"Get lost!" You scream at the growls. Red eyes appear just beyond the next tree. Hundreds of them. Stumbling to your feet, you grasp a thick branch in your hand and wave it threateningly at the eyes. They snigger. Gulping, you take a step back. But your fear is fading. Suddenly you're peeved. They laughed at you! Now all you want to do is kill them. Every last sniggering little beast. "All right, come on and get me!" Either you're very brave, or stupid. "I dare ya!" Okay, I'm going with stupid. Obviously you hit your head to hard. You were never one to accept being laughed at, despite it happening so often. You'd think by now you'd be used to it.   
  
"Smell good… Frufrufru… Delicious little human child for me…" A creature emerges from the shadows. He stands on two feet, but has a dog-like muzzle and paws. His beady red eyes are filled with hunger. His tail drags the ground, and it's covered with green scales that glint in what tiny amount of light there is. Spikes protrude from his back, long and metallic. What kind of freak is this?! "Yummy… little… boy/girl."   
  
Your eyes widen. He advances on you, his feet shuffling, never lifting from the ground. He towers above you as if he was the Twin Towers and you were a tree house. "Not good…" You gasp, you eyes seeking an escape route. No where out!  
  
Saliva drips from his jaws as he nears you. You notice now that his fur is brownish, not black as you first had thought. "… Scrumptious little morsel…" He's above you now, and you stink back. You back comes against hard tree bark. You're cornered. A long trail of spit drips onto your shirt, and you shiver in disgust. His mouth opens wide, revealing long, yellow fangs with chunks of his last victim still clinging to his teeth. Your breathing has stopped, and you cringe down, unable to move. The branch slides from your hand and falls to the ground. You're going to die!  
  
Closing your eyes, your thoughts wander back to your mother. Sure, she isn't the Mom-of-the-year type, but she loves you. And you'll never feel the warmth of her embrace again. Never hear your friends' voices. Never see the sunrise. You can feel his breath, hot and sticky, on your face. His fangs touch the bare skin of your neck and you scream bloody murder. Still, you eyes remain closed. His snarls of anticipation at swallowing you are all you hear… It's almost over… Just a little crunch and you neck will be snapped and it'll end… One gulp and you're gone…  
  
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Did you like that? A cliffhanger! Yay! Unless, I get no reviews. If I don't, then that's the end. You're dead. So, please, oh please, review! 


	4. Chapter four

The cold bone of his teeth almost seems to burn your warm skin. You wonder if he'll swallow you alive. If he does, then you'll get a first hand account of how it feels to be digested. Unless you suffocate in his stomach first. His growls cause shivers to play up and down your spine. His snarls of anticipation at swallowing you are going to be the last things you ever hear. "Please... Some one, please save me... I know I don't deserve to live after all the rotten things I've done... Please save me anyway..." You scream as his dull teeth sink into your flesh, the searing pain causing your mind to blank. Nothing has ever come close to hurting as bad. Even the time you sliced your hand open with the butcher knife when you were ten. That knife was sharp, so it slid into your hand quickly. But these blunt fangs must be physically forced into you. Weakly lifting your arms to his jaws, you fasten your fists around a pair of his teeth and attempt to force his mouth open. But it is as if he doesn't notice. He just keeps applying pressure. And you're supposedly a demon! Wouldn't you be able to rip him in half...? That's it! There was a mistake, you were never meant to be here, you're not a demon... Your screams become louder. Tears of pain and fear and sadness seep from between your closed eyelids. It's all over! He's going to crunch your neck in half!  
  
The intense pressure loosens. His teeth slide from the deep wounds on your neck. His body weight falls away from you and thunders to the ground. You can feel the earth below your feet shake from his immense mass. Your hands fall to your sides. Still, you remain in your crouching position, your back against the huge tree. The pain has not stopped. But your eyes open slowly, as though afraid of what you may see. Your savoir stands before you, his pale face void of human expression. His black robe is smattered with red, as is his face. Held loosely in his right hand is a sword, the tip of its blade resting on the dead leaves. It too is stained scarlet. His crimson eyes are darkened with anger he has not yet unleashed. Lifting his foot, he kicks the carcass of your would-be killer with might that you would never know he possessed. The giant beast tumbles into the underbrush and out of view. He advances towards you, letting the sword fall from his grip and clatter to the forest floor. He has no use of it at the moment. In one swift movement, he falls to his knee at your side. You tremble with the pain that the gashes on your neck are causing you.  
  
"What were you thinking, coming into this forest alone?" His voice is soft and gentle. His tone is a reprove, but he is not angry. You have never known him to be so... How ever you would describe it. To your eternal surprise, the warmth of his arms encircles you and he lifts you from the ground. He refuses to look at you now, not that you want to face his gaze anyway, you have been far to stupid. Your eyes close and you let your body go limp in his arms, sure now that you are safe.  
  
"I'm sorry, Hiei..." You gasp. What else can you say? This has to have been the dumbest thing you have ever done, including the time you tried to stick your tongue into the electrical socket thing to impress your friend in third grade. Or yesterday when you thought it would be funny to mock him and say, "Yes sir!" That was pretty stupid, but not as stupid as wandering into the demon forest to pursue the same goal as Yuskue. Just what were you planning to do when you got to that tree, huh? Turn around and wander back? And what about all those physic dudes who got lost in the forest? They were really strong, and they got eaten. And now look. You're bleeding to death in Hiei's strong arms. But why isn't he laughing? And why is he the one saving you? And why the heck is he being so nice?! Are you so bad off that he's sure you'll die and he wants to be nice to you for the last few minutes of your life?! ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO DIE ANYWAY?! That's it, isn't it? Your wounds are so bad that you're going to die before you even get out of this forest of heck! He went through all that trouble, and you're going to die anyway. And as soon as you croak, he's going to drop your body and trample you and laugh. "I don't want to die!" You cry out without being aware of it.  
  
"You are not going to die." Hiei snaps in response. Now he sounds like himself; annoyed. "If you wan to have a drama-queen episode, wait until I put you down, then cry and mourn all you want. But for now, SHUT UP!"  
  
"I'm not gonna die? Are you sure, because-" You stop. What lunacy are you babbling? You sound like you're three years old! Hiei is now snickering at you, and after a moment of silent confusion, you join in. Already, the pain in your neck is fading. Upon touching you skin, you discover that the gashes have vanished. Since when did Hiei have healing powers? "Um, thanks for, uh... Saving me... I really appreciate it..." You mutter, your words slurred. You aren't the overly wordy type, and speeches of gratitude are not your thing. "Just what was that thing that tried to eat me?"  
  
"A demon." He answers, a bit absentmindedly.  
  
"I know that! What kind of demon?" You ask. It has occurred to you that perhaps you are a demon like him. A big, hideous, freaky dog-wolf-thing. Not in the least the kind you'd want to be. Ugh! If you were that ugly, you'd probably commit suicide.  
  
"The kind that live in a forest."  
  
Okay, now he's being smart. You tilt your head ever-so slightly to the side and see that the corners of his mouth are twitching in amusement. "What kind specifically?" You persist.  
  
"Go ask your mother."  
  
"Uh, hello, my mother wouldn't know what kind of demon it is!" Or, maybe she does. Maybe she knows that you're a demon, and just never told you. Maybe she's even scared of you, because she always thought that when you realized you had demonic powers, you'd pay her back for making you wash the dishes all these years.  
  
"That is not my problem. Hn... your wounds seem to be healed," He trails off, his steady pace slowing, then ceasing altogether. He stands still and erect for a full second, as though in deep thought. "I think you can handle standing by yourself now." You let out a startled cry as he releases you and you fall to the forest floor with a thud.  
  
You tip back, your hands splayed on the dead leaves behind you, and glare at him. "What the heck you do that for?!" You shout indignantly. "THANKS FER SAVIN' ME, BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GO AND DO THAT!"  
  
"Hn." Was all he said as you stumbled back to your feet. You can feel your anger rising, and you have to bite your tongue to keep form hitting him. But why hold back? Hiei can't kill you, Koenma would send him to jail. He did save you, but what does that prove? Hiei lifts his chin a bit, his eyes surveying you coldly, a malicious tone to his grin. "Go on, kid. Hit me. I dare you."  
  
A/N Please review and tell me if you'd, personally, hit Hiei in the face. He does deserve it, he's been a real jerk. Whether or not you hit him, you have to say why, okay? Thank you! 


	5. Chapter five

"I dare you," Hiei repeats, his words accompanied by mocking laughter. He tilts his head back and laughs, and you feel your blood boil. Jerk! Jerk! Jerk! Jerkjerkjerkjerk –deep breath– jerkjerkjerkjerkjerkjerk! Your hand closes into a fist at your side, and you look down at the ground. Your vision is blurred from intense anger, and your thoughts whirl. He's laughing at you! "Come on, kitten." He mocks softly, his laughter ceasing. His crimson eyes glint with amusement.  
  
KITTEN?!  
  
"Ooh-that's IT!" You scream in rage.  
  
SMACK!  
  
Hiei gawks at you in incredulity. Your fist still rests against his cheek, and your face is only an inch away from his. You're breathing hard, your shoulders trembling from the impact. Hiei seems beyond words, his arms hang at his sides and his eyes are wider than you've ever seen them. Sparks fly between your eyes and his as you defiantly gaze into them.  
  
"You-you hit me!" He mumbles, and if you hadn't been so mad, you would have found his surprised tone rather comical. Suddenly, the expression on his face falls into a scowl, and his hand jerks up and snatches your wrist. He pulls it away from his face and hold it just infront of your own face. Slowly, he applies pressure to his grip, until your fingers and hand start to turn purple from lack of oxygen and your nerves go numb. He wants you to scream out in pain. But you're not going to do that! But he's going to break your wrist! He's squeezing so hard...  
  
"OKAY! I GIVE!" You shout in his face, spraying him with spit. With a maniacal smile, he begins to twist your arm to the left, harder and harder. He's going to break your wrist, and he's laughing, AGAIN! You try to move your body to decrease the pain a little, but you can't do it. You squirm, trying franticly to pull away from the psycho-demon.  
  
"HIEI JAGANSHI!"  
  
"Genkai," You gasp as Hiei releases you, and you slump forward, holding your searing arm to your chest with your other arm. Tears fog your vision, and you hope they won't spill down your cheeks.  
  
Genkai's elderly face seemed to be chiseled from stone. Her scowl seems to radiate heat, and you take a step back in surprise. She glares-and glares is an understatement, for sure-at Hiei. But when she speaks, it's clearly directed to you. "What the heck is going on here?!"  
  
You give Hiei your "Ooh, you are SO going to get it now, boy!" look, and smile when he gives you a murderous look in retaliation. "Well, Master Genkai, Hiei was just..." About to break my wrist. But you can't say it. But why on earth not? He's standing across from you, seething, not feeling guilty at all! "Hiei was just...Checking my wrist to see if it was broken. He just saved my life...I...uh...got attacked by a demon dog-thing and it dragged me into the forest and was going to eat me." No use telling her that you, being an idiot, wandered into the woods of your own freewill. You look at the oni before you. His face is void of human expression. You raise an eyebrow at him and say, "Right Hiei?"  
  
Hiei lifted a hand to his mouth as if to ward off a yawn. "Nope," He says with a flat tone of voice, "You were going to be eaten, yes, but you were the fool who wandered into the forest, on purpose to prove you're as 'bad' as the Great Urameshi. I killed the demon, but not to save you. He was to hideous to be allowed to live. And he's not the only thing guilty of that." Hiei gazes above your head as your fists shake at your side. "And just now? I was trying to keep you from running even deeper into the forest, you reckless nigen."  
  
A/N: I apologize for the shortness of the chapter. Review it anyway, please? Puppy-dog eyes Please? 


	6. Chapter six

Well, goodie for you. Genkai believed Hiei (apparently she simply couldn't buy the 'saving you' story, even though that part was true) and now you're under constant surveillance. Which means Kurama has been your shadow for the past two days. It's getting pretty darn annoying too! Frustrated, you storm around the temple with a glare that would have scared off any little kid in the park, and caused them to wet themselves. But you haven't been completely bored. Your genius mind has been formulating a plan of how to teach that baka oni a lesson! But...uh...so far you've come up with nada. Your head is as empty as Botan's.  
  
You've taken up wandering the yard again. After a few hours, you discover a small fish pond. The intense-blue of the water reflects the fluffy white clouds in its depths, and you occasionally spot a large goldfish dart under the water. A gnarled old willow leans over the pond, its long branches hanging down over the water. You sit under the tree, moodily staring at your scowling reflection in the water. Folding your arms acrossed your chest, you tilt your head to the side, and see Kurama standing a few feet away, leaned against a tree, toying with a blade of grass. "Oh for the love of McDonalds, Kurama! Can you be any more obvious! Stop following me!"  
  
He gives you a sheepish smile. "How can you prove I'm following you?" He asks softly, his emerald eyes flickering in amusement.  
  
You shoot him a dirty look and shout, "How can I NOT prove it!? I've been walking in circles for hours now, and you 'conveniently' happen to be going in the same direction? BULL!"  
  
Shrugging, he gestures to a gorgeous bush of roses that grows on the other side of the pond. Delicate pink petals with fringes of red intertwined like a tie-dye shirt. "How can you prove I am not just here to look at the flowers? That is a motive that I could prove, I do, after all, appear to be rather attached to them, no?"  
  
"Nice form of logic, fox." You mutter. With a smile, you give in and decide he has been nice, so you might as well return the kindness. You pat the section of grass beside you, inviting him to join you. He smiles and takes the offer. "So who put you up to following me?"  
  
"Genkai, of course."  
  
"She thinks that I'm going to hurt myself? Go back into the forest? So Hiei can save me again, then say he didn't?" Just talking about it is setting off your anger. You start to turn red out of rage at the image of Hiei telling Genkai he didn't save you, and that you were a total idiot.  
  
Kurama hastily lifted a hand as a gesture of peace. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! I never said I believed him, so it would be unwise to jump to the conclusion that I agree with his story. You sure like to get upset over nothing, don't you?" You let out a low, threatening snarl. He laughs and ruffles your hair, "No offense, . I am merely stating a fact."  
  
You bristle at his touch and shove his hand away, and try to fix your hair. "Baka kitsune!" You hiss. He starts laughing again, but its not mocking. He's enjoying fooling around with you. After a moment, you reach up and yank one of the long locks of scarlet hair that frame his face, and pull him down to eye-level. "Don't. Touch. My. Hair."  
  
He blinks, then his lips tease up in a smile. "Hiei was right, you do have a bit of a temper."  
  
"He has no room to talk," You answer, giving his hair another tug, just to be sure you get your point across. He winces slightly and draws back, but you do not relinquish your hold on his hair. "By the way, what did you mean by Hiei and my personalities being to similar? We have nothing in common at all, except maybe the love of swords."  
  
Kurama heaves a sigh and smiles ruefully at you. "So, you were eavesdropping?" He shakes his head slowly from side to side while continuing, "Well, that's another thing you two have in common. He adores listening in on my conversations, especially when I'm speaking to Yukina. As a matter of fact, he has approached me about that particular comment as well."  
  
"And what did he say?"  
  
"That I was sadly mistaken and that I needed rest. Now, would you kindly release me? It's not polite." Kurama says, sounding impatient. "Hikari will be here any minute, and the last thing she'll want to see is me being held down by my hair by an year old boy/girl."  
  
You feel your eyes narrow. "Who's Hikari?"  
  
A light shade of crimson colors his cheeks as he answers, suddenly very nervous. "Well...She's one of the spirit detectives based in America." You let go of him and pull away, staring at him in surprise. Hikari, Mokemono, and Shikiba...He mentioned them when talking to Yukina. You forgot all about that! "Now, if you'd be so kind as to come with me, you can get aquatinted."  
  
You stand and follow. Kurama is acting very peculiar. He continually straightens his shirt, as though it were impossibly wrinkled. It's not. He casts several looks at the temple as you make your way there, only to blush and look back down. But no one is looking at you. So what on earth is his deal? You've seen people act this way on their way to a prom. He's acting like this girl is his......  
  
"Kurama, when did you get a girlfriend?!" You blurt out without realizing it.  
  
"Oh!" Kurama seems to be on the verge of telling you, but then closes his mouth and shakes his head. You amusedly note that his face is the same shade as his hair.  
  
Please review and tell me everything on your mind!! 


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